California law makes it a crime to record someone’s conversation secretly, with a few exceptions — and one of them, a state appeals court says, allows a parent to use a hidden cell phone to record her child’s talks with a babysitter suspected of abuse.

A mother’s recording led to the conviction of a 12-year-old babysitter for molesting his 4-year-old cousin. The defense lawyer argued that the recording was illegal because neither of the speakers had consented.

But the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Fresno said Monday that a parent who reasonably fears harm to her child, particularly a young child, can consent to a secret recording on the child’s behalf. State law normally requires the consent of both parties to a conversation, but allows consent by one person who reasonably suspects the other of a serious crime. more

With cybersecurity threats on the rise, the private sector is taking a cue from national security protocol to protect corporate secrets, investing in highly protected SCIFs, or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities.

What happens in a SCIF stays in a SCIF—and has ever since the concept of the “war room” originated during World War II....

Private companies are increasingly seeing the benefits too—especially those working in fields whose success is dependent on continually out-innovating their competitors. “The rooms can be used in many ways once built, from proposal writing and strategy sessions, to hands-on R&D and product testing,” says Gordon. “They can even be portable. But they all give companies piece of mind that work and discussions taking place inside the room are completely confidential.” moreCan't afford a SCIF (they're expensive), use a TSCM team to conduct per-meeting inspection. If you can afford a SCIF (sweet), use a TSCM team to re-certify it's integrity against eavesdropping. SCIF effectiveness tends to decay with age and use. ~Kevin

Mention this to your traveling executives. Reinforce VPN usage.Russian hackers who infiltrated the computer systems of the Democratic National Committee in the US are now focusing on the wifi networks of European hotels to spy on guests in a “chilling” cyberoperation.

The state-sponsored Fancy Bear group infected the networks of luxury hotels in at least seven European countries and one Middle Eastern country last month, researchers say. FireEye, the US cybersecurity company that discovered the attacks, said the hotels were in capital cities and belonged to international chains that diplomats, business leaders and wealthy travelers would use. more

Background... A security consultant for the All Blacks rugby team announces he found a bug in a meeting room chair seat cushion. The arrest. And now, the trial...

An upholsterer called as a witness in the All Blacks bugging trial told a Sydney court he didn’t find any evidence of “tampering” or “reupholstering” when he inspected a chair allegedly used to conceal a listening device in the lead up to the Bledisloe Cup.

All Blacks security consultant Adrian Gard has denied making up claims he found the bug concealed in a chair in the All Blacks’ meeting room at the InterContinental Hotel in Double Bay in August 2016.

Mr Gard has pleaded not guilty to making a false representation resulting in a police investigation into the bug...

All Blacks team manager Darren Shand told the court last week Mr Gard on August 15, 2016, showed him two chairs which he claimed had given off abnormal readings during a bug sweep in the meeting room. Mr Shand said he could see what looked like a listening device. more

Why should you care?• Not all TSCM "experts" are honest. (I'm shocked!)• Reputation and experience matters.• Ignore the smooth talk. Check references thoroughly, before letting them in.~Kevin

This just in...The bugging device found in a chair in the All Blacks' Sydney hotel is sold at a chain of spy stores, a court has heard. Technician Mark Muratore told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday the FM transmitter powered by a nine-volt battery was sold at the Oz Spy chain of stores and on eBay. Mr Muratore told the court about 80 of the FM transmitter devices, known as the RBFM600, were sold each year on eBay and at Oz Spy for $120 (≈$95 usd) each.